Edward d



(No'ModeL) E. D. DOUGHERTY 81; G. B. BRYANT.

GROSS TIE FOR RAILROADS.

Patented Jue 16, 1885.

YATES *rn'r rarer.

EDWE RD D. DOUGHERTY AND GEORGE E. BRYANT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,231, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed July 5, 1884.

T a whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD D. DOUGH- ERTY and GEORGE B. BRYANT, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cross-Ties for Railroads, and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,sueh as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in cross-ties for elevated and surface railroads, the object of the same being to provide means for conveying the water, oil, and dirt falling onto the ties into suitable conduits located alongside of the track. A further object is to provide yielding ties,whereby the noise occasioned by passing trains is considerably deadened, and the wear of the rails and car-wheels lessened; and with these ends in view our invention consists in the parts and combinations of parts, as will be more fully described, and pointed out in the claims. v In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of our improved crosstie and box. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 a transverse sectional view.

A represents a rectangular box open at opposite ends and provided with the longitudinal groove or gutter a, which latter is preferably semicircular. This box is made of cast metal, and the opposite sides are connected together at their upper ends by the ribs or braces b. The bottom of the box is provided with the lugs c, which latter are arranged to prevent the lateral displacement of the semi-elliptic springs B on which the cross-tie O rests. The springs are slightly shorter than the width of the box to enable them to expand freely, and when in position in the box rest under the rails, so as to take the entire weight of the passing train. The groove or gutter in the bottom of the box is under the springs, and hence the latter do not obstruct the gutter.

The boxes A, when employed on surfaceroads, are embedded in the earth,while on. elevated roads they are secured to the girders by means of the laterally-projecting lugs (Z cast integral with the boxes. The cross-ties G are also (No model.)

preferably made of cast metal, and are hollow and provided on their upper sn rfaces with transverse groovcs e,in which the rails rest, and with the upwardly-proiecting flanges F,which conform to the web of the rails and serve as fishplates. The ties are adapted to rest on the semi-elliptic springs B, and move vertically within the box, and the upper surface thereof between the grooves for the rails are concaved so as to direct the water and oil falling thereon toward the longitudinal center of the ties, from which it passes through the perforations e in the upper and lower faces of said ties into the grooves in the box A. These grooves can incline slightly toward one side, so as to convey the water into a spout or conduit located alon side of the track. The ties O are placed in position on the springs, (which instead of be ing semi-elliptic, can be of any other shape, and instead of being of metal can be made of rubber,) and hence it will be seen that as a train passes over the same, the tie yields to the weight thereof, and consequently the noise produced byatrain passing overa solid unyielding structure is obviated. Again, by causing the tie to yield, the sudden shocks and jars occasioned by a heavy weight passing over a solid foundation is overcome, and the cars pass over the yielding ties with an easy motion. If from any cause the springs should break, the ties drop onto the lugs c, which are cast on the bottom of the box A, and are held securely in position. By simply elevating the tie with a bar or lever, the spring can be replaced without stopping travel and without removing any of the parts.

It is evident that many slight changes and alterations may be made in the relative construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of our invention, and hence we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves strictly to the parts herein described; but

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a rectangular box and a cross-tie to which the rails are rigidly secured, of yielding cushions interposed between the box and tie.

2. The combination, with a rectangular box and a cross-tie resting in said box, of semi-elliptic springs interposed between the box and tie.

3. The combination, with the box having the lugs c and the springs, the ends of which rest between the lugs, of a cross-tie resting on the springs.

4. A cross-tie for railroads, having recesses formed therein near opposite ends and upwardly-extcnding flanges or fish-plates located alongside of said recesses, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a box open at the top and ends, of a tie having vertical perforations or openings passing through the same.

6. The combination, with a box open at the top and ends, of a tie having a concave or dished upper surface and perforations passing through the tie.

7. The combination, with a box open at the top and ends, of a hollowtie having a dished upper surface and perforations passing through the tie.

8. The combination, with the box and the tie, of the springs interposed between the tie and box, all of the above parts combined and constructed as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in'the presence of two subscribing OHAs. G. HENDERSON, Jr., JOHN H. HUDsoN. 

